Who Killed Tom Robinson?
by Krystal
Summary: I wrote this for our Literature class.


Who Killed Tom Robinson?  
  
Written by Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird is an insightful novel on the darker side of humanity.   
  
Part of the main focus of the story revolves around Tom Robinson, a black man charged of brutally raping a white girl. In the book Lee dives into the mind of a young girl, Scout, and presents the trial of Tom Robinson along with the painful truths of growing up.  
  
A good part of the book focuses on the trial itself. Where a jury of twelve southern, white men, stand to decide Robinson's fate.  
  
From the very beginning of the trial, and even before it began, we were introduced to the sad fact that Tom Robinson was doomed before he even entered the courthouse. It was absolutely unthinkable that a black man's word be taken over the word of a white man.  
  
Before the trial begins, we are introduced briefly to practically the entire county, as every capable soul for miles around, turns up for the event. It wasn't because it was a rarity that a trial or complaint was brought to court, but because this trail focused on white versus black, "good" versus "evil". And what was more - that a white man dared to stand up and defend this black man who was undoubtedly guilty as sin.   
  
As the trial begins, we are introduced to the Sheriff of Maycomb county, Mr. Heck Tate. The first witness, testifying for the Ewells - Bob and his daughter, Mayella. Everyone in Maycomb knows Sheriff Tate as a good and honest man. During his questioning by the Ewell's lawyer, Mr. Gilmer, it looks as if it is going to be an open-shut type of case. But during Atticus's cross-examination it is pointed out that there was no medical evidence to support the fact that Mayella was really raped - how could an officer of the law not think to call a doctor after finding a young girl beat up and supposedly raped? Then, it was discovered that Mayella Ewell's right eye was black and not her right. For the time being the significance of that information eludes us.   
  
Next on the stand is Bob Ewell. His temporary celebrity has given him an arrogant and self-assured which manner speaks volumes in showing how confident he is that he will win this case. He even attempts to be humorous but only succeeds in irritating the judge. His testimony gives us the first hints that he is lying with his contradicting answers. His answers to Mr. Gilmer's questions merely verify what Heck Tate testified and give more details of the night. Atticus "tricks" Bob into signing his name and it is discovered that he is left handed. Once he realizes that Atticus has used that to bring up the possibility that he could have beat his daughter instead of Tom, Bob immediately attempts to cover up by saying he is ambidextrous. But the damage has already been done and Bob knows it; the entire Maycomb County knows he is lying.   
  
Mayella Ewell herself is next. Her testimony only verifies any suspicions that we have that they are lying because both her and her father's testimonies contradict each other (Bob boasts that he caught Tom in the act of taking advantage of Mayella, where she says he had stood over her yelling "Who dunnit!?"). Mayella also states that she was beaten and choked at the same time and that Tom Robinson had his way with her. She also says that she fought tooth and nail against him but she was not knocked out. Also, her reaction to Atticus' politeness gives us a deep insight into the kind of life, she leads. By showing she thinks its an insult to be called "Ma'am" and "Miss" we realize that this girl has grown up being treated badly by everyone she has ever known - including her father. She is nervous and scared of Atticus, which shows us that she is lying because she knows that Atticus can see through her lies.  
  
Next, Tom Robinson testifies and as he rises to take the stand we discover that Tom's left arm is completely useless and mangled from an accident; it was caught in a cotton gin when he was a boy. With this it becomes clear that Tom Robinson could not have punched Mayella's right eye because his left arm is crippled and makes us question how it would be possible for him to choke, beat, and rape a kicking, punching, and screaming girl. His testimony completely collides with Mayella and Bob's and Mr. Gilmer's manner of questioning clearly shows his contempt. Here, we hear his side of the story but his biggest, and even fatal mistake is when he admits, in innocence, that he helped Mayella only because he pitied her. The whole courthouse responds to that negatively. It was a terrible, unthinkable insult for a black to pity a white - for a lesser to pity his betters.  
  
The Ewells are the town outcasts, and no man in his right mind would take their word against another white citizen. But today Bob Ewell is cast as a hero. Most of the people believe that it would be a disgrace to take a black's word against a white; as a result most of the white society of Maycomb is prepared to side with the Ewells even though it means compromising values and even justice itself.  
  
So, despite the fact that they are the town outcasts, that nothing they say can hold water, that all the evidence presented to the court proved his innocence. That Tom could not have possibly raped Mayella with a useless arm, and that if he had tried, he would have some physical injuries to show it - Tom Robinson is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell and sentenced to death at the electric chair.   
  
The truth is, Tom Robinson was convicted not because he was guilty of raping Mayella Ewell, but because he was guilty of being a black man.  
  
This is not really a question of who killed Tom Robinson. I could easily point my finger at the guard who shot him down, or at any one member of the Maycomb community. I could say Bob Ewell's pride, or Mayella's fear of her father and disgrace, killed him. Or, I could say that it was the entire community itself for and being complacent and allowing their prejudice to blind their better judgement. I could even say that Tom killed himself the moment when he - out of compassion - stepped into the Ewell house, or, when he tried to escape from prison. But, it is in reality a question of what killed Tom Robinson. The answer is quite clear.   
  
Ignorance killed Tom Robinson.  
  
  



End file.
